After the nice excursion to the Ethiopian Rift lakes, I photograph the view to the north and the Municipality, from Jean-Noël’s flat, at the bottom of Churchill Avenue, the next weekend (Sun. 27 Nov.). I don’t remember the reason of the gathering. I’m afraid the preservation quality of this series of negatives is bad.

Like the unsettled weather conditions in this dry season which is a long time coming, the political situation of the country is rather changeable and uncertain. I write on the 28th of Nov.: ‘I heard on Radio France internationale that Harar had fallen. We are waiting for confirmation. (…) We don’t risk anything, but we musn’t walk at night and cars should be back at 23. 30 PM.’ Actually, the Somalians will fortunately never take Harar nor Dire Dawa.

I’ll have a holiday from the 10th of Dec. to the 3rd of January. I’d like to prepare a trip but the possibilities seem limited, and my application for going to Yemen has been turned down. I’m still considered a “serviceman” till the 31st of December, and normally every trip requires permission. Now, more stable very fair weather has come. ‘Just now, Tana, our mamite, who has just finished her day’s work, is on the balcony and is warming herself in the sun [2 Dec.]’. The house staff employed by foreigners is considered privileged because better remunerated, and working in better conditions, in pleasant lodgings. So it’s not at all surprising that Tana is not impatient to get back home after her work. ‘The situation in Addis remains steady: quiet but tight, with a few shots at night. I still go for short drives with Jean-Noël on Saturday nights, but we get back earlier and “Addis Ababa by night” is no longer what it used to be. [7 Dec.)’. I write on the 12th of Dec.: ‘The country is invaded by Russians and people from the East. [One of my students at the Alliance is a Russian but he hasn’t told me what he is doing in Ethiopia.] Eight days ago, I went to see an exhibition about East Germany: interesting to see all sorts of equipment, which shows a too great sobriety’. On Monday Dec. 19, I’m invited to a cocktail party offered by a personality of the French Embassy, at Hilton Hotel. I go, of course: it’s not to be turned down and there are not so many distractions in Addis. I remember I preferred to walk, hoping someone would bring me back home. On Dec. 21 and 22, I receive two parcels from France, ‘everything in perfect condition, with a lot of steps to get the things, but eventually, it’s allright, and without any taxes (…), after going to a score of offices at several different places in Addis’.

I spend Christmas Eve night with Jean-Noël, Rémi and Yveline but the feast is darkened by a road accident – fortunately nobody has been injured -which happened at the end of the afternoon: the small green Fiat collided with a collective taxi and had to spend the night immobilized in the middle of the street with the warning lights on, before beginning a long stay in a garage. I write on Dec. 27: ‘It didn’t prevent us to do what we had planned: we had dinner at the Cottage, then the four of us finished Christmas Eve night at my place, in the flat Marie-Josée has left to go to France. (…) Yesterday, I offered myself the luxury of renting a Fiat 126 (small model of car) for a week. To-day, I took Jean-Noël to Debre Zeit where we saw the pretty small lakes again and took pictures. The weather made me think of a gorgeous July day in France, but with the sunset at 6 PM’. On Dec. 27 in the morning, I have to testify at the police station about the car accident, before our short excursion. There will be a lawsuit later about it and I’ll have to appear as a witness. The summoning to the hearing will be brought to me for signing at the Alliance by the police, during a class!

On our way back, in my tiny “yogurt jar”, we wonder whether we can reach Addis for the clutch is slipping. We stop to see what these sellers are offering at the road side (above). The two men don’t mind me photographing them, but I don’t purchase their honeycombs. Afterwards, I regretted having missed that opportunity to do a nice and “brotherly” gesture.

I make the most of the freedom I get from the small car to see Sebata, a modest village situated about 25 km south-west from the capital city, in a pretty wooded setting. There is a brook, a waterfall and a fine view (29 Dec.). See also Part 29.

Another view of the green Sebata country. I spend New Year’s holiday pleasantly with my friends. My “military” time is now over (see Annex 10). ‘This year ’77 went right, was rich in events and has certainly been the best of my life so far [4 Jan.]’. So I resume work on the 4th of Jan., and my well-ordered time goes by fast. I write on the 18th of January: ‘The government has announced the suppression of the importation of about 1000 products to save currency. We stock up with tinned food, powdered milk, etc. (…) There is quite a lot of shots and executions of “reactionaries” these days’.

At the end of January, I’ve only five months left to live in Ethiopia. I take this photo of Guebre Mariam highschool from my window, as a memento of this time of my stay on Churchill Avenue (24 Jan.). I write on the 26th of January: ‘Just now, I’m sitting outside the Rendez-Vous, a café much frequented by French people, located near the post office, on Churchill Avenue, close to my place. The weather is gorgeous this morning, on this day off. (…) I like my job very much, all the more so since it doesn’t take too much of my time [sic]. (…) The students at the Alliance are very nice, unlike most Ethiopians, who are rather withdrawn, xenophobic and sad, in view of the situation. I wonder how they can bear their children being killed or thrown into jail for nothing. (…) Eventually, life is rather pleasant here for foreigners, but for Ethiopians, I think it’s intolerable. The Russians bought the whole future coffee crop, so there won’t be any more for sale [here]. The Ethiopians without their coffee! And they put up with everything’. PART 21